After generating a spark around the Denver Broncos franchise following a thrilling comeback win over Miami, Tim Tebow and his teammates were given a brutal reminder how difficult it is to win in the NFL. Matthew Stafford put together an outstanding performance after struggling in a loss to Atlanta last week, and the Detroit Lions dominated every facet of the game in a 45-10 win at Denver.
Stafford picked apart the Broncos secondary, throwing for 267 yards and 3 TD's, including a 56-yard strike to Calvin Johnson early in the third quarter. Even with Champ Bailey pointing out that Johnson would be the focus of the Broncos secondary, the explosive WR managed to go over the 100-yard receiving mark for the 4th consecutive game, as he had six catches for 125 yards.
While the Broncos defense had no answer for the Lions, Tim Tebow and the Broncos offense delivered an uninspiring performance. Tebow struggled with his accuracy, completing 18/39 for 172 yards. Under consistent pressure throughout the game, Tebow was stripped three times and threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown by Chris Houston. One bright spot for the Broncos was the play of WR Eric Decker. Decker, who has emerged as a key weapon for Tebow, led the Broncos with 72 yards receiving and a touchdown.
The Broncos will look to rebound from this disappointing performance when they visit the Oakland Raiders next Sunday. Detroit will pay a visit to Chicago in a key NFC North matchup that has playoff implications for both teams.
Be sure to visit Mile High Report, SB Nation's Denver Broncos blog, and Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Detroit Lions blog, for more news and notes. SB Nation NFL has the latest NFL information for all fans.